The Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE) within the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) invites state and local TANF agencies to apply for the TANF Data Collaborative Equity Analysis Awards (HHS-2024-ACF-OPRE-PE-0043). The awards will provide funding for agencies to build their data analytic capacity through the completion of an equity-focused data analysis project using TANF and other administrative data, with the goal of improving TANF agency programming and, ultimately, individual and family outcomes.

To support their projects, award recipients will participate in intensive training and technical assistance provided by the TANF Data Collaborative 2.0 (TDC 2.0) team composed of MDRC and its partners— Actionable Intelligence for Social Policy at the University of Pennsylvania, Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago, and the Coleridge Initiative—operating under contract to ACF.

About the Equity Analysis Awards

During the 36-month project period, award recipients will participate in training and technical assistance led by the TDC 2.0 team using a “learning by doing” approach. Support will include applied data analytics training, one-on-one coaching from technical and equity experts, instructional webinars, annual cross-site convenings, and peer learning to answer equity-related questions that matter to each site. Sites will work with the TDC 2.0 team to strategically build and use new data models, analytic tools, program evidence, and policy insights to improve outcomes. The maximum award is $110,000 per budget period. Initial awards will be made for the first 12-month budget period; annual continuation awards for the two remaining 12-month budget periods will be awarded, subject to the availability of funds and satisfactory progress by the participating agency. See this flyer for more information.

The TDC Equity Analysis Awards and TDC 2.0 build off the TANF Data Collaborative pilot project, which employed the TDC approach to support eight pilot projects. View this video summary to learn more about that project.

Apply for the Equity Analysis Awards

Applicants must demonstrate the support of the TANF agency leadership to participate in the funding opportunity, the ability to access TANF and other administrative data, and a commitment to using data to improve policy or practice. The goal of TDC 2.0 is to improve the data analytics capacity of TANF program staff with different levels of current capacity. ACF is interested in funding award recipients with a wide range of initial data analytics capacity.

Interested applicants can see details about how to apply for this funding opportunity at https://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre/grants#Grant-TANF or https://grants.gov/search-results-detail/350060.

See this video for more information about the TANF Data Collaborative 2.0 and the Equity Analysis Awards funding opportunity.

Applications are due July 15, 2024.

For questions, please email tanfdatagrants@icf.com.